Hollywood is among the northernmost neighborhoods of Los Angeles that is not a part of the San Fernando Valley. The true nature of Hollywood is often obscured by its iconic status in American culture; most associate it with the movie industry, with opulence and celebrity. Hollywood was indeed an early hotbed of entertainment industry boom, but if you are looking to live in the Hollywood itself, know that movie premieres at the Chinese Theater and stars on the sidewalk are as close as it comes to those conceptions nowadays.

Residence in Hollywood is much more subdued. Surrounding the boulevards most commonly associated with the area (Hollywood and Sunset) lies a bevy of restaurants, bars, clubs, movie theaters, improv theaters, tattoo parlors, novelty shops—you name it. A bit farther from the primary throughways, there are dozens of densely populated city blocks blanketed with a mixture of apartment buildings and single-family rental units. As one moves north into the Hollywood hills, the housing options diversify to include condos and larger, more upscale houses.